


No-One Is to Blame

by Dzuljeta



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Conversations, F/M, Moral Lessons, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Phone Calls & Telephones, Post-Episode: s02e04 The Girl in the Fireplace, Post-Episode: s02e05-06 Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel, Regrets, Romance, Time Travel, Understanding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2018-11-17 03:02:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11266596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dzuljeta/pseuds/Dzuljeta
Summary: When the only person able to make the Doctor see reason is one Jackie Tyler, he realises there really are a lot of things he needs to think about...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> BBC owns everything.

**No-One Is to Blame**

**1.**

Ever since the adventure with Madame de Pompadour in the eighteenth century France, Rose has stopped behaving like her usual self.The Doctor respected her gloomy mood, knowing better than to make her unwelcome unease grow any further.

After the Cybermen and the loss of the parallel Jackie, it has only become worse. Needless to say, the loss of Mickey might have worsened it further. Mickey Smith has been her childhood friend, no, her _boyfriend_! Her dark mood was only to be expected, the Time Lord kept telling himself.

Even when Rose has begun spending hours talking to people other than himself - her mother, most of all – he believed to understand her reasons.

Up until he has accidentally overheard something he was not supposed to.

“I can't, I _won't_ leave him, Mum. No matter-” Rose's voice was uneven, as if she were on the point of tears.

“ _No matter of what, Rose?”_

She exhaled, glad about not seeing the Time Lord anywhere. “This famous historical figure, she died, yeah, and the Doctor-”

“Has tried to raise the person from the dead?” Jackie guessed, both terrified and amused about the unlikely prospect, one only someone as the alien could ever think of.

Rose sighed heavily. “The Doctor has been unusually gloomy ever since, not talking to me in the ways we used to, and I-”

She chose not to word her deepest worry to Mum. “But it's okay now. Things are slowly returning to normal between us. You needn't worry!”

Jackie Tyler was not convinced. “That's only understandable, sweetheart! Maybe the historical person and the Doctor have only truly liked each other's company, time travel and everything,” Jackie tried.

Her daughter was almost deadly quiet all of a sudden. “Snogging with her, is this what you mean?”

Her mother gasped.

 _The bloody alien!_ Jackie knew from experience Rose would never talk about such personal things to her, unless...

* * *

Jackie Tyler wished she was there with them and could give the Doctor the slap of his life. Or hundreds of those. Talking to him seemed like the next best thing.

“Is your alien nearby? I'd like to share some words with him!”

Apparently, her shrieking voice has been audible even to the Doctor, now looking for a distraction under the TARDIS console.

“Am I in trouble?” He was on his feet the following instant, looking for some support from Rose, yet getting none. The girl shrugged at him instead and handed him the mobile phone, not quite as concerned about whatever was waiting for the Doctor. She simply couldn't make herself to feel that way.

Jackie was furious. “As long as my baby is being her usual cheerful self, all is fine, but when she's devastated you don't notice her pain?”

The Doctor gaped at her unexpected words. Surely, Rose might have seemed a bit tense, concerning the losses she'd been forced to go through. Maybe she's been over-dramatising things, like mother, like daughter?

“You _need_ to talk to her, Doctor. If you feel snogging around is how things are supposed to happen, leave my Rose out of this. Better yet, send her home the moment you even think of allowing yourself to toy with my Rose in that way!”

He gulped. “That... It was never supposed to have happened! I haven't been the one initiating the kiss, I'll have you know, Mrs Tyler!”

 _Great._ He was not even able to fight off women jumping on him...

”I wasn't asking for this information, Doctor. Frankly, I don't care about what you were doing or with whom. But hurting my baby is going too far!”

“I know! And I'm sorry!” The Doctor hoped Jackie would stop the unpleasant conversation herself. Luckily, Rose's mother did not sound keen on continuing the chat any further.

“When I ring next, I want those issues resolved, is that clear?” _With a snog or even with a shag, whatever makes things work_ , she thought to herself.  Jackie Tyler knew that at the rate their _we're just friends_ relationship kept progressing these things were very likely going to happen.

The Doctor muttered something under his nose, uncertain. Rose has been talking to Jackie almost every day! However was he to succeed?

Jackie, on the other hand, was aware the alien has often found her terrifying. This was supposed to work out just the way it should.

“Not my problem, Time Lord. I don't care what you do. You know what needs to be done and you must know I would be able to sense any deceit.”

“Yes,” he spoke, never doubting it.

“Good luck,” Jackie wished that to him honestly. She understood a lot of things, complicated relationships included.

* * *

 

Once the chat with Jackie was over, the Doctor was unpleasantly surprised. “Whew,” he exhaled, relieved. “Is there something in particular you'd like to do, Rose? The universe is at your disposal!”

“I am still _not_ talking to you,” Rose reminded him, sighing heavily.

“We have already spoken about- surely, something else must be the problem?”

He was apparently still dismissing the obvious.

“ _You_ have spoken about it,” Rose clarified. About _her_.”

 _What about_ us _?_

The Doctor was stunned.

Rose inhaled, determined to let it all out.

“If I died, would you be as upset about my passing as about that of your courtesan's?”

He gaped at Rose, his mouth opening and closing several times. She was not-

“You are not going to die while by my side – not if I have anything to do with it,” he managed, shocked.

She rolled her eyes at him. “You sure?”

The Doctor realised he was not, could not be entirely certain about it, not when this jeopardy-friendly woman has had the tendency to head straight into trouble.

“Positive,” he said instead.

Rose sighed, shaking her head at him. She has experienced enough cases of people lying to her to know better. “It's useless to lie to me, Doctor. Just tell me if you don't want me here. Maybe it's true and you want some new faces aboard. It's okay.”

The Time Lord looked at Rose, suddenly feeling completely beaten. He _knew_ she didn't mean it! “Please... Please, don't even think it. You are all I have, Rose!”

“Until you find yourself some gorgeous historical women to snog. Sure thing.”

It has hit him then. “Are you still mad at me for it?” He ventured. “It seems to me my kissing Reinette has affected you more than having Mickey lost in the parallel universe,” he spoke, thoughtful.

Rose gasped, slapping him. Judging from the look in her eyes, the companion would have gladly hurt him much harder than that.

The Time Lord backed away from her, knowing he has very likely deserved much more than this.

Jackie's words have caught up with him.

 _I don't care_ what _you do..._

“I suppose Jackie's right, Rose.”

_Wha-_

“We need to stop quarrelling.”

“Yeah?” She shook her head, incredulous.

“I know you hate me right now-”

Rose looked at him, stunned. “ _Hate_ is a very strong word!”

“If you don't want to travel with me, tell me.” Jackie Tyler was surely going to kill him for even beginning such a risky discussion. “I'd rather get to know it right now.”

“I _love_ travelling with you, you daft alien!”

“Yes?” He was seeking for a confirmation which, as a matter of fact, was staring him right into his face.

“Don't be silly,” she breathed, uncomfortable.

“Silly? Who's silly? I was only trying to make sure your mother-”

 _Rassilon._ He has only caught his slip of tongue then.

“I thought you two hated each other!”

“ _Hate_ is a very strong word,” he teased her kindly, relieved the girl did not catch it. "Could we... Could we try again?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Previously...**

“ _I thought you two hated each other!”_

“ _Hate_ _is a very strong word,” he teased her kindly, relieved the girl did not catch it. "Could we... Could we try again?"_

* * *

 

**No-One Is to Blame**

**2.**

 

Rose blinked at him, incredulous. “If Mum has ordered you to-”

“No. She has only warned me against causing... er... trouble. Yes.” The Doctor felt relieved about having come up with a believable half-truth.

He grinned at her. “Against causing trouble! Ha! Can you believe it?”

Rose shrugged, not convinced. “Might be.”

The Time Lord froze mid-step, remembering the one question he's given her. “Could we? Try again, I mean?”

“It depends,” she eyed him tensely, yet saw the honest apology in the way he looked at her.

“On what?” The Doctor was honestly puzzled.

The tongue-touched grin he has received in return has momentarily made him forget whatever their chat has been about.

“On whether you would be ready to bring me breakfast to bed every morning for, say, a month?” She grinned at him teasingly. Rose was still feeling hurt and misunderstood. Hurting the Doctor in return, however, has never entered her mind. Complicating his everyday life, however barely, seemed sufficient.

The alien eyed her quizzically, trying to see any trace of deceit on Rose's face – yet she was looking honestly excited about her idea all of a sudden.

If the Doctor was being honest with himself, this flirty and playful girl in front of him has at least meant getting away from the tension still surrounding them.

“Make that a year,” he smirked at her.

She gaped at him, then giggled. “Deal!”

Rose was relieved. Even if, by the end of the second week, fulfilling the promise might and possibly would become a chore for him, this felt more like the yearned-for return to their light everyday communication.

“I would prefer if you knocked on my door before you came in every morning,” she warned him seriously.

The Doctor blinked at her, curious. “Yes, sure, but why? Are you sleeping without your clothes on, or something?” He grinned at her, excited about his crazy idea.

Rose gaped at him, barely succeeding in hiding her surprise. “As a matter of fact,” she rolled her eyes at him. Of course, it would only take someone as ignorant as the Doctor not to accidentally come up on her. Then again, maybe he had...

“All right,” he nodded at her, some excited sparkle now in his eye. “I'll knock. Promise.”

Rose gulped. “If you enter my chamber without prior warning, there will be consequences,” she spoke dryly.

“Oh?” The Doctor could not believe his ears. They have been living together inside the TARDIS for years! It was only natural for him to see his companion in various degrees of undress. Even wearing next to nothing on that particular pleasure planet. Surely, he has been just as equally underdressed there. But that did not mean anything! Why would it, with them only looking at each other when it was absolutely necessary.

“I mean it, Doctor. We are not a couple. Not in any sort of a romantic relationship,” Rose spoke evenly, somehow hoping he would miss the undertone of sadness in her voice.

“Do you mean that if we were, I would be allowed to enter without knocking?” He spoke without thinking.

 _You would be allowed to do so much more_ , Rose thought bitterly.

“Pretty much,” she said out loud instead.

The Doctor wondered about Jackie's reaction in the matter. To everyone they have had the chance to meet, they have been a couple.

His following words were quiet. “Would you like that?”

“Hm?”

“Er. I mean-” He gave her a hurt puppy look.

Rose stared at him. “If entering my chamber without knocking is all you care about-”

He gaped. “That's not it!”

“Yeah? Making me your girlfriend just so you could invade my chamber twenty-four/seven doesn't sound extremely appealing to me,” she spoke with a grin.

“I thought couples are supposed to share a room?”

Rose gaped. “It sounds as if you were offering yourself to me...”

“Well. If I was?”

The seriousness in his voice did not allow any doubts.

She sighed at him, watching the Doctor worriedly. This did not feel like the alien she knew. Only days before, he kept avoiding her quite persistently. “Are you all right, Doctor?”

“I believe so,” he said. “Are you?”

There it was again. Small talk. “No.”

“Why?” The Doctor was unpleasantly surprised.

“Because,” she spoke slowly, “the closest we get to something more than travelling friends is when you learn about an unusual habit of mine.”

“I don't understand? How is that a bad thing?”

“It's not. Neither is you kissing strangers, instead of-”

The Doctor thought to have understood something there and then.

“Would you rather it was you I kissed?”

“You can't. You have told me it's impossible.”

Rose did not try to hide her sadness.

“Nothing's ever impossible,” he breathed into Rose's hair with a smile. “Just highly unlikely.”

Jackie teaching him how to behave, rather than finding them and threatening to slap him into his next regeneration. Rose willing to risk her privacy just so she could get breakfast to bed. Rose unknowingly breaking so many of his mind's protective shields just by being herself.

Himself, willing to somehow prove to them both than impossible was just a lazy expression.

The Doctor cleared his throat. “I don't know about you, but I think I could get you chips. Would you like some?”

Rose could see his effort. “Take me there.”

He nodded. Her support was admirable. Even if it was nothing but make-believe.

The Time Lord looked at her intently. “Would you like to go on a date with me, Rose Marion Tyler?”

She eyed him flirtatiously. “It would be my pleasure!”

* * *

 

In the end, they have ended up being mistaken for a couple of young lovers. Chippy did not happen. A lot of chocolate and sweets did instead.

The Doctor could not stop laughing, once they were aboard the TARDIS. “I suppose you wouldn't want to look at anything sweet for a couple of days, _sugar_?”

They did not plan to attend any photoshoot on the supposed date, let alone be photographed eating some unfamiliar sweets. But there they were, surrounded by cameras.

Rose was up to posing however they wanted her to, enjoying herself… Until they were asked to kiss.

“I think that's our cue,” she grabbed the stunned Doctor by the hand and the two have hurried away.

* * *

 

“Whatever has made you run away in such a hurry, Rose?”

“They wanted us to kiss, yeah?”

“So?”

“You are not against seeing me naked, no! But a kiss is another matter entirely, yeah?”

The Doctor gulped, almost physically able to feel Jackie's slap landing on his face.


	3. Chapter 3

**Previously...**

_“You are not against seeing me naked, no! But a kiss is another matter entirely, yeah?”_  
_The Doctor gulped, almost physically able to feel Jackie's slap landing on his face._

* * *

 

**No-One Is to Blame**

**3.**

“I don’t think you understand, Rose. Some things are nowhere as casual to me as they are for you. I simply can’t-”

The silent understanding on her face has hit him hard, but thinking of a quick response was beyond him.

“I think I’ll have my evening cuppa by myself. See you in the morning, Doctor.”

“Night,” he managed, knowing their relationship was likely going downwards rapidly. All because of him.

* * *

Knowing of Rose's request, the Doctor has kept to their 'knock first' agreement faithfully. If Rose wasn't responding, she was either still asleep or in the bathroom, which has only meant him giving her more time to get ready.  
He knew if or when she was unwell, because one look into her eyes has told him everything he needed to know.

For more than several months, keeping the promise has been easy. They could both pretend the uninvited tension between them was non-existent all too well. Usually, it was barely noticeable. Their deepest feelings were kept secret, even though they both knew that was only going to get worse in time, unless one of them decided to finally do something about it.

* * *

One day, it has happened. The Doctor has entered Rose’s room without a warning. As expected, the girl wasn’t wearing a thing, her everyday clothes, likely the ones she intended to wear in the morning, folded neatly on the chair nearby. 

The shock on her face was a very meaningful indication.

It seemed it has taken the Doctor quite a while to find the strength in himself to say what he has.

"Rose. I will marry you, if you want, but this can't keep going on."

The girl was too stunned to register the entirety of his words right away.

"What can't?"

The Doctor shook his head to himself, bitterly amused at her reacting at the wrong words.

"It doesn't seem fair to me. What if I want to see you twenty-four hours per day?"

"You have managed to keep away from seeing me in the mornings for quite a while," Rose smiled at him, carefully covering herself up.

"You don't understand," he spoke quietly. "I can't take this any more. I- I want-"

Rose gave him a light smile. "Allow me to put something on. We'll talk then."

The Doctor was looking exasperated. "I'll reword what I said. I can't pretend this makes me happy any more. I want to have you close to me, no matter what.”

Rose inhaled. "We are together, almost always!"

The Doctor grew silent for a moment. "Almost always" is not good enough for me. I want to be the one kissing you goodnight, the one waking you up with kisses every morning, I-"

"Are you offering yourself to me?" Rose breathed, dazed.

“Only if you want,” he grew uncomfortable. “If you don’t agree, we can ignore this encounter has ever taken place. I’ll leave your room and allow you to sleep for several hours more,” the Doctor assured her.

“Don’t you dare,” Rose breathed. She realised she had been wishing for the Doctor to come into her room, early in the morning or otherwise. “I… I thought you’d never come,” she admitted, blushing.

“Have you been waiting for me?” The Doctor asked her silently.

“All this time. Every day, I-”

He kissed her hands. “I’m sorry. I have been a fool. Thought you were completely serious about-”

“At first, maybe. But when my occasional attempts to lure you into my chamber without knocking first have proven futile, I stopped, only hoping you would eventually risk coming to see the undressed me anyway.”

The Time Lord inhaled. “Your mother has taught me a lot about the wrath of the Tyler women,” he admitted.

“And still, you’re here, offering me marriage,” Rose smiled at him softly.

He gasped, incredulous. “I thought you haven’t heard!”

Her grin took up half of her face. “Not when you sounded so desperate, Doctor.”

“My bad,” he said silently.

“I think you have already understood I’m nothing like Mum,” Rose giggled.

“I- I guess so,” the Doctor breathed out, suddenly barely able to keep his wandering eyes off Rose’s uncovered bits.

“Do you want me to ditch the bedding altogether?” Rose couldn’t help it, catching his look.

The Doctor looked at her, perplexed. “N-no, not-”

The companion could sense his distress. “I have heard and I am still waiting for you to do something about it!”

The Doctor grinned back at her, relieved. “Aren't you mad at me, really?”

Rose shook her head. “I have been waiting for you. Always hoping.”

The Time Lord realised the pink and yellow human wasn't trying to cover herself up quite as urgently as before. “Don't you need to put something on first?” He suggested, ready to look away whenever needed.

“Are you sure?” Rose teased him.

“I'm pretty certain it's making you uncomfortable,” the alien shrugged.

“If I choose to sleep naked, it means I like it,” she reasoned, giggling. “Have you ever tried it?”

“Maybe,” he sighed. “I hate travelling alone, which means I hardly ever can be completely sure nobody would come up on me,” he finished uneasily.

“You're safe with me,” Rose assured him. “I'm not going to stalk you, or anything-” She stopped, waiting for his response.

“If you happen to agree to my proposal,” he said, still feeling incredibly uncertain, “we can either share a room or-”

“Are you still not convinced, Doctor?”

“I don't know what to think,” he exhaled. “You keep sending mixed signals!”

“Do you know what Mum would say?”

The Doctor shook his head.

“She would call us a couple of amorous fools who keep pushing the truly important things about our relationship away,” Rose finished quietly.

“That’s an understatement, Rose Tyler. She is visibly trying to-”

Rose blinked. “When was the last time you two talked?”

The Doctor has hurried to change the subject into one much more important.

“I don't think there are a lot of things left to discuss here. Getting married - are you up for it?”

Rose smacked him on the shoulder, grinning.


End file.
